1. Technical Field of the Invention
This invention relates to sanitizing and sanitizing supplies. More particularly, and not by way of limitation, the present invention is directed to a sanitizing applicator having an internal sanitizer reservoir and a positively charged fabric cover.
2. Description of Related Art
A problem encountered in restaurants is the control of microbial growth on surfaces such as tables, kitchen counters, and bathroom fixtures. To control microbial growth on a surface, a sanitizing solution containing antimicrobials such as sanitizers is applied to the surface with a woven or nonwoven fabric. In the restaurant industry, government Public Health requirements dictate that sanitizing solutions must reduce microbial contaminants to a safe level. Currently, the safe level is a 99.999% reduction in the bacterial count.
The same problem occurs in homes and in health care facilities such as hospitals, clinics, and doctors' offices where it is equally or more important to control microbial growth.
For the sanitization process to be effective, the sanitizing solution must maintain a certain concentration of sanitizer. A serious problem occurs when fabric of the sanitizing towel dilutes the concentration of sanitizer in the sanitizing solution. For example, a nonwoven fabric is repeatedly rinsed in a sanitizing solution contained in a bucket, while sanitizing the tabletop surfaces of a restaurant. If the nonwoven fabric is diluting the sanitizer in the sanitizing solution, then the tabletop surfaces are not being disinfected. This can lead to an outbreak of pathogenic enteric bacteria, such as nearly all members of the genus Salmonella or E. coli. Pathogenic enteric bacteria can cause illness, or worse death.
The two most common sanitizers in sanitizing solutions are quaternary ammonium compound (QAC)-based or chlorine-based sanitizers. A QAC is an ion, which is a molecule that carries an electric charge. More specifically, a QAC is a cation, that is an ion that posses a positive charge. A nonionic molecule is an ion that posses a neutral charge. An anion is an ion that posses a negative charge. The charge of a molecule affects that molecule's intermolecular interactions. For example, a cation is attracted to an anion, and a cation repels another cation.
Nonwoven fabrics in common use today with sanitizing solutions are made with anionic (i.e., negatively charged) binders and surfactants. The negative charge of the anionic binders and surfactants utilized in nonwoven fabrics attracts and bonds the cationic QAC-based sanitizer to the fabric thereby diluting and neutralizing the concentration of sanitizer in the sanitizing solution. Moreover, woven fabrics comprise many interwoven strands of material, thereby creating a large irregular surface area that captures a large number of cationic QACs during use, thereby diluting the concentration of sanitizer in the sanitizing solution. Existing methods to solve this problem are to regularly replace the sanitizing solution or regularly replenish the concentration of sanitizer. However, these existing methods are not without limitations.
These existing methods are time consuming and expensive. Regularly monitoring and replacing or replenishing the sanitizing solution involves considerable employee time and the expense associated with replacing or replenishing the sanitizing solution. Additionally, during busy times in many restaurants and hospitals, replacement or replenishment of the sanitizing solution is often forgotten, resulting in insufficient levels of microbial reduction.
It is also noted that nonwoven fabrics manufactured with a high pulp content are initially sanitizer-friendly; that is, at first, they have little effect on the concentration level of the sanitizer. However, the pulp content makes them less durable and subject to shredding when they become wet. Additionally, once such fabrics have been rinsed, they lose their sanitizer-friendly properties and begin to adversely affect the sanitizer concentration level.
Therefore, a need has arisen for a sanitizing applicator that overcomes the disadvantages of the existing art. The present invention provides such a sanitizing applicator.